Sloane
by Kamali Shen
Summary: One-Shot.  Cousland female  Events at Fort Drakon take a small detour. The new Grey Warden is tortured, but it's what she lost that affects her the most.


"Killing them just reinforce Loghain's lies about the Gray Wardens." I stated, knowing that my companions wouldn't like it. I turned to each of them as to stifle any complaints. I also didn't want anyone else in more danger than we were at that moment.

"Bring the Wardens. Loghain doesn't care about the rest." Ser Cauthrien stated to her men, who were already escorting Alistair and myself away from the others. I watched as Queen Anora and the others bolted as soon as they were passed the doors. We, on the other hand, were taken to Fort Drakon where Ser Cautherien left us in the hands of the guards.

Once Ser Cautherien was gone from sight, the guards violently bound our hands and dragged us down the halls. Alistair was trying his best to swag the guards' attitudes, but they silenced him with a punch to his ribs. He doubled over, but the guards only laughed before pulling our binds again. It was a long walk and I could hear, see and smell the nightmares of the Fort. I did my best not to let any emotion show on my face.

I don't think it matter to the guards; everyone was fresh bait in this place. Once Alistair and I were at our cells, the guards ripped our armor off before shoving us in. At least they shoved Alistair into the cell; I was shoved in another direction… towards the torture racks. I could hear Alistair behind me, screaming at them, but I held my demeanor. Even when they forcibly placed be down on the blood-soaked wood.

"You aren't even worth the armor you wear." One of the guards spat at me.

"So, are you going to confess?" Another asked, "That you abandoned the King to die."

"I have done no such thing." I stated back.

"But you killed Howe and his men." The first shot back at me.

"He killed innocent people in order to gain power." I returned, "He gave me no choice."

"A likely story." The first guard spat again and tightened my binds.

I could feel my hands and feet pulsating along with my heart. I had no idea what these men intended to do, to them I was just as guilty as any another murdered in Denerim.

"I think you will confess one way or another." The second guard sneered and shoved a hot iron on my hip. It took a second for the heat to register, but I did my best not to scream.

He only responded with pushing the iron as far as he could before pulling it away. The smell of flesh didn't reach my nose until the third time. The guard burned me a number of more times, but moved down the side of my leg. After that, I had started blacking out and lost track of what the guards had done. I vaguely remembered what the guards were calling me, but I heard my family name and that part I lost it.

I began to thrash about, the weeks of holding in what Howe had done finally broke free and I remember screaming about what his men had not only done to my family, but the guests we had there as well. I asked the guards if they too deserved their fate and that if it wasn't for Howe, I probably never would have been a Grey Warden…

It was weird when I came back to myself again. I was no longer on that rack, but in a cell. I stood slowly and examined the door and my surroundings.

"You're finally awake." Alistair breathed behind me.

I turned to see him slowly standing and coming over to me, his eyes darting all over me. If I didn't care for him, I swear I would have slapped him. I couldn't explain how I was feeling, but the last thing I wanted was to be coddled and I made sure he couldn't see everything the guards had done.

"So, what do we do?" Alistair finally asked, giving up on me.

"Neither of us are in any shape to fight our way out of here." I replied.

"Do you really think any of them would try?"

"I think any one of them would, you must know that." I replied, lowering to the ground and leaning against the bars.

"I would love to see that, two people storming this place for a rescue." Alistair snorted.

"Not everything is solved with weapons, Alistair." I shot back with more venom in my voice then I intended, but I couldn't help it and turned to the wall.

"Hey, now that wasn't very nice." He said, trying to lighten the mood again.

"Which part, yours or mine?"

"You really are upset. Are… are you alright?"

"If you really care about me, leave me alone for a while." I replied, closing my eyes and huddling in the corner as small as I could make myself. I knew the others would come for us, even Morrigan. I stole a glance and saw that Alistair had gone back to his corner and was staring at the door.

I hugged myself tighter as visions began to seep into my sleep. I actually wished for the nightmares the dark spawn plagued me with. Instead, I was tortured with my past. My family, Highever, and everything about it. I replayed the night Arl Howe's men attack the castle at least twice... I knew tears were dripping down my face.

It was hours later when I heard some commotion down the hall. My limbs were stiff, but I managed to stand without falling over. Alistair must of heard it too as he was next to me, straining to see out of the bars. We could hear the clash of swords and armor and looked to one another. Was it true, did our friends come to save us?

Moments later, we saw them walking up to the cell we were in. The smug looks of Morrigan and Zeveran. Though I swore it was more for Alistair then me, but I was glad to see them all the same.

"Tis time to leave, yes?" Zeveran said, picking the lock on the door.

"Come quickly, though I doubt you are inclined to linger." Morrigan added with urgency in her voice. Our armor was in a chest nearby and our weapons sitting on a stand. Alistair and I dawned our armor as fast as we could and ran from Fort Drakon and back to Arl Eamon's estate.

I met up with Eamon and Anora. Even though I felt conflicted with everything going on, I was given the chance to go about Denerim on last time before the Landsmeet. I was happy to leave the estate and walk around the Marketplace, but I needed more space. I wouldn't go far, but I needed to get outside of the city walls.

I walked a few minutes from the walls to a clearing, I just needed some air and to be left alone. The latter would not be easily done with him _following_. I did my best to ignore him, but it was soon apparent that he wanted his presence known.

"Please Alistair, just leave me alone for a while." I begged, leaning against a tree.

"You really think I will? Who knows how many bans of men are ready to kill any of us and you want me to leave you out in the open alone?" He countered.

"I can take care of myself and I am not that far away." I shot back, "All I need is some…"

"Some… what?" Alistair asked, walking closer to me, "You are not alright, I can see that now. What did those guards do to you?"

I tried to wave him away, but I felt so exhausted and my hip throbbed. Alistair noted me nursing my side and quickly probed against my armor. I watched as his hand came up to his face, covered in blood.

"Lucky for you I have some bandages." He stated and went to work. He didn't take long nor did his really say much. After he was done, he sat on the other side of me and for once, was just quiet. I enjoyed both him and his silence, "Maybe after all this is done, you can tell me your story…"


End file.
